Massage-machine.



I. P. GARDNER.

MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED OCT. 12. 1914.

11 Patented May 7, 1918.

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MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. 1914.

Patented May 7,1918.

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J. P. GARDNER.

MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPHCATION FILED ocT. I2, l914.

m I Patent-6am 7, 1918.

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MASSAGE-REACHINE.

L265 d74t Specification of Letters Patent. e mmg g ljfjlmy 7 191%,

Application filed October 12, 1914. Serial No. 866,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JAMES P. GARDNER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage-Machines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a machine for giving massage treatment wherein substantially solid or non-yielding contact rollers or the like are used, and may be given any desired amount of pressure against the body.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a simple and eflicient machine of thisjcharacter which is readily adjustable in various ways in order to conveniently reach different portions of the body, and to provide such other advantages as will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention:

Figure 1 is a front view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view partially in section, as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

gig. 3 is a plan view of the base portion; an r Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken on the line H of Fig. 2.

In general, my improved machine may be said to consist in a plurality of massage devices arranged to operate in vertical planes, and oppositely disposed so as to be ableto engage with the opposite sides of the body, with means for adjusting said devices to bring them in contact with different por- 'tions of the body.

In the particular form shown in the draw ings, 5 indicates a base having a guideway 6 therein for a slidable support or platform 7. This platform is provided with a downwardly depending lug 8, which is engaged by a screw 9 for adjusting the same longitudinally. The platform 7 is made in the form shown particularly in Fig. 3, and serves as a platform. for the person to be acted upon, as well as a support for a portion of'the massage devices. Two stands 10 are secured at one end of the base 5, and serve as bearings'for a swinging arm or frame 11, this frame having suitable trunnions engaging therewith. A shaft 12 has its bearings in the trunnions of the frame 11, and is pro vided with two sprocket wheels 13. The

at upper ends of the side portions of the frame wheels 26. A second shaft 27 is 11 are provided with guideways for slidable bearings 14, for a shaft 15, which shaft is provided with sprocket wheels 16 arranged in alinement with the sprocket wheels 13. Springs 17 are interposed between the bearings 14.- and followers 18, and screws 19 are provided for adjusting the followers 18 to adjust the pressure on the bearings. Two chains 20 pass around the respective pairs of sprocket wheels 13 and 16, and serve to carry horizontal brackets 21 for the rollers or contact members 22, which are preferably rotatably mounted in said brackets. These rollers may be made in any desired form and of any suitable material, but I prefer to make them of wood, and from one and one-half to two inches in diameter.

Two stands 23,. similar to the stands 10, are mounted on the adjustable support 7, and serve as bearings for a swinging frame or arm 24. A. shaft 25 passes through the trunnions of the arm 24:, and carries sprocket yieldingly mounted in the upper end of the frame 24k in the manner just described in connection with the shaft 15, and carries sprocket wheels 28. Chains 29- pass around the sprocket wheels 26 and 28, and are provided with brackets 30 carrying rollers 31.

The upperends of the swinging frames 11 and 24% are intended to be moved toward or away from each other for adjusting them to the body of the person. to be treated, and also for regulating the pressure. This may be done by means of various expedients, but as shown I have provided a stand 32 at the rear of the base 5, with pivoted bearings 33 and 34: for the adjusting screws 35 and 36. These screws pass respectively through nuts 37 and 38, which are pivoted to the rear arms of the frames 11 and 2 1, and are provided at their outer ends with cranks 39 and l0. By turning one or the other of these cranks, the corresponding frame is swung inwardly or outwardly as desired.

The shafts 12 and 25 serve as driving shafts for the chains or belts, and these shafts may be driven continuously in either direction. as desired, or may be given an oscillating or reverse movement in order to give a reciprocating movement to the portions of the chains engaging with the body of the person. A simple form of driving mechanism comprises worm wheels 41 and 42, which are secured to the shafts 12 and 25, and are engaged by worms 43 and 44 on a drive shaft 45. The shaft 45 is driven by amotor 46, which may be of the reversible type in order to give a reverse movement to the massage devices. It will be readily seen that by giving a reverse movement to the belts or chains, the rollers or massage devices Will be r'eciprocated so as to move to and fro longitudinally of the body. The ends of the worm 44 are supported in a bracket 47, which is securedto one of the stands 23, and this worm engages with a feather 48 in the shaft 45, so that the worm may move along the shaft, and will remain in driving engagement with the worm wheel as the platform 7 is adjusted. The driving gearing-is preferably inclosed in an oil box 49 in the manner indicated.

While thisimproved machine is adapted for various therapeutic treatments, it is es pecially adapted for the reduction of fat.

Fat occurs in different persons on different portions of the body, and, in order to reach the various portions, a machine of this character must be capable of considerable adj ustment. For instance, if the fat occurs on the lower portions of the limbs, the person to be treated may stand in the machine in the position indicated in Fig. 1, and the ad justable platform 7 is moved inwardly until the rollers engage closely with the calves of the legs or other portions of the lower limbs which are desired to be acted upon. The motor will drive the shafts 12 and 25 in the desired direction, preferably so that the inner flights of the chains will move upwardly, as the upward movement of the rollers is in most cases considered preferable. If the treatment is tobe given more particularly around the hips or abdomen, the platform '7 may be moved'outwardly, and the swinging frames 11 and 94 adjusted inwardly at the top, until the rollers engage with the portion of the body desired. In stead of standing in the position indicated in Fig. 1, the person to be acted upon may stand sidewise in the machine, in which case the'roll-ers' may be brought to engage with the front or back portions of thebody instead of the sides. In fact, the machine is soadjustable that it may be used in a large variety of ways, which will readily suggest themselves to those familiar with this art.

The sprocket wheels for the chains are made sufficiently large so that the inner flights of the chains may be pressed considerably out of alinement in order to allow a large number of the'rollers on each chain to come in contact withi'the curved portions of the body; or, 1n other "words, to allow the device to conform to the contour of the body,and the yielding adjustable bearings for the outer sprockets provide "means whereby the tension on the chains may be regulated. The pressure of the rollers against the body may then be regulated by adjusting the springs 17 and by the adjusting screws 35 and 36. I I

Having thus described my invention, which, however, I do not wish to limit to the exact form or arrangement shown, except as specified in the following claims, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a massage machine, the combination of oppositely disposed, vertically arranged yielding carriers, horizontal rollers mounted on said carriers, means for adjusting said carriers to bring the rollers in contact with the body of a person, and means for moving said carriers vertically to cause the rollers to move along the body.

2. Ina machine of the character set forth. the combination of oppositely disposed belts, horizontal rollers carried by saidbelts, adjustable yielding supports for said belts, means for driving said belts in substantially vertical directions, and means whereby the belts may be moved toward or away from each other.

3. In a massage machine, the combination of a base, bearings on said base, means for adjusting said bearings toward or away from'eaeh other, frames mounted to swing in said bearings, means for adjusting the upper ends ofsaid frames toward or away from each other, shafts in the upper and lower ends of said frames, sprocket wheels carried. by said shafts, chains passing around the sprocket wheels of the respective frames, means forv driving said chains, and horizontal rollers mounted on said chains and adapted to engage'with the body ofa person.

4. In a massage machine, the combination of a base, stands mounted on said base, two frames mounted to swing in said stands, driving shafts at the lower ends of said frames, shafts mounted in the upper ends of said frames, sprocket wheels on the driving shafts and last-named shafts, chains passing around the sprocket wheels of the respective frames, means for turning said driving shafts, supports on said chains, and rollers mounted in said supports and adapted to engage with the body of a person. v

5. In a massage machine, the combination of an arm or frame pivoted at its lower end and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a driving shaft at the lower endof said frame, a second shaft yieldingly mounted in the upper end of said frame, wheels on said shafts, belts passing around said wheels. brackets carried'by said belts, horizontally arranged rollers mounted in said brackets. means for turning said driving shaft. and means for adjusting the upper end of said frame.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of 'a base, bearings at one end of saidbase, a frame pivoted to said Less rs,

bearings, a driving shaft at thelower end of the frame,whe els.on said driving shaft,

a second shaft yieldingly. mountedain the upper end of said frame,.means;for,adjusting the tension on -said last-named shaft, 'wheels on said last-named shaft, belts passing over the wheels of the. driving shaftand. said last-named shaft,horizontally arranged brackets carried by said; belts, rollers mount, ed in said brackets, a slidable; platform,

mountedon said base, means for adjusting said platform, bearings on said platform, a frame pivoted to said last-named bearings, a drive shaft at thelower end ofsaid lastnamed frame, a shaft yieldingly mounted in the upper end of said last-named frame,

means for adjusting the tension on saidlast-i of said base, vertically arranged massage devices carried by said bearings, a platform slidably mounted on said base, bearings on said platform, vertically arranged massage devices carried by said bearings, and means for adjusting said platform longitudinally of the base.

8. In a massage machine, the combination of a base, two oppositely disposed massage devices pivotally mounted on said base, an upright on said base, and screws connecting said upright and the massage devices for swinging said devices and holding them in adjusted position.

9. In a massage machine, the combination of two oppositely disposed vertically arranged frames, vertically movable massage devices earried by said frames, parallel driving shafts for driving said massage devices, stationary bearings for one of said shafts, adjustable bearings for the other shaft, worm wheels on said shafts, worms engaging with said wheels, a driving shaft on which said worms are mounted, a feather on said shaft for one of said worms, and a bracket connecting between one of the movable bearings and said worm for moving it along the feather.

10. In a massage machine, the combination of a pluralityof horizontally arranged rollers adapted to engage with opposite sides of the body, means for yieldingly supporting said rollers, and means for reciprocating said'rollers longitudinally of the body when the latter is erect.

11. In a massage machine, the combination of one or more horizontally arranged rollers adaptedto engage-with onesideof the body, one or more rollers adapted to engage with the1opposite side of the body, means for adjusting the pressureof the rollers againstthe body, and means for reciprocating said rollers vertically.

12.v In a machine of,the character set. forth, the.combination of a plurality of horizontally arranged rotatable massage de', vices for engagement with opposite sides of a,person, means for yieldingly supporting said devices, and meansforg adjusting; the pressure of the devices against the body.

13. In a ,machine ofthe character set forth, the combination of a plurality of horizontally arranged non-yielding massage devices adapted to engage with one side of the body, a. plurality of similar devices for engagement with the opposite side of the body, means for yieldingly supporting said devices, and power operated means for reciprocating said devices.

14:. In a massage machine, the combination of a plurality of horizontally arranged interconnected non-yielding massage devices, means for yieldingly supporting said devices, means for adjusting the pressure of the devices against the body of a person, and power operated means for reciprocating said devices.

15. A massage machine comprising a plurality of rotatable massage devices adapted to be'disposed at opposite sides of the body, means for supporting said devices and pressing them against the body, and power operated means for moving said devices length:

wise of the body.

16. In a massage machine, the combina tion of a plurality of horizontally arranged rollers adapted to yieldingly engage with opposite sides of the body of a person, and means for reciprocating said rollers vertically. V

17. In a massaging machine, the combina tion of a pair of supports, reciprocatorv members mounted on said supports, a series of rollers carried by each of said members, and spring means in the connection between said members and said supports, substantially as described.

18. In a massaging device, the combination of a rigid frame, a sidewise movable frame, a series of rollers carried by each frame, means for causing bodily movement of said rollers relative to said frame, and spring means in the connection between each series of rollers and their support, substantially as described.

19. In a massaging device, the combination of a fixed standard, and a sidewise movable standard, a series of rollers reciprocably mounted on each standard, means for reciprocating said rollers, and means for adjusting said sidewise movable standard, substantially as described.

combination ofg'two standards; a serieslf of support adjustably mouatedbneachoflsaidstandards,- rollers; capriedby said roller sup-.

ports, and mechanical means fer reciprocatsaid rollers and supports, substantially asdeseribed. i 3

21; In a device' of the-classadescribed; the

rollers-mounted upon and adapted for bodily movement, relative -to'ea'c h 0f said s'tajl dards, mechanical means -fqi'f actuating said magma sepies of rollers, and means for varying the to the other thereof, a series of rollers reciprocally mounted on each of said standards, and niechanicalmeans for reciprocat inggsaid rolle rs, substantially as described. JAMES P. GARDNER.

\Vitnessesr LEE'J'. PITNER, E; Jk'GusmFson.

' fiqpleatohtkgialpaten tmsy bembta medx tenflxewents cacmby addressing the "Commissioxper of Patents,

" wuhiizztolgmdii' 

